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A family gather around a fire to cook bread as part of a Sensory Trust activity day

Grounds for Sharing: a guide to developing special school sites

Grounds for Sharing is a good practice guide showing how to make the outdoors engaging and accessible for children with additional needs.

Grounds for Sharing is written by Jane Stoneham as a result of work with Learning Through Landscapes. It is essential reading for anyone interested in how the outdoors can bring benefits to children with all types of special needs. The book shows how well designed grounds can simultaneously encourage the development of physical skills, the building of confidence through exploration of the environment and the acquisition of social and behavioural skills through learning to participate and share with others.

The publication is based on a study that collected data from 400 special schools throughout the UK. Teachers from all kinds of special schools highlighted the enormous range of opportunities and benefits that school grounds can offer children with all types of special needs.

Grounds for Sharing provides guidance and examples on the following -

  • designing for accessibility
  • maximising sensory interest
  • planning for participation of children with special needs
  • plant selection, wildlife interest and activities
  • planning for play
  • designing for comfort and flexibility
  • maintenance
grounds for sharing book opened out

The book also contains nine case studies.

ISBN: 1 872865 23 2 85 pages, 95 colour illustrations.

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